The present disclosure generally relates to the field of vehicle suspension systems. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a sway bar assembly used to transmit input forces from one side of a vehicle another.
A suspension system is used to couple the chassis of a vehicle to a ground surface. Vehicles traveling along a surface (e.g., pavement, asphalt, gravel, earth, sand, etc.) may encounter various driving situations. A first driving situation occurs when the vehicle travels over an obstacles or variations. Such obstacles may include rocks, potholes, and curbs, among obstructions, and such variations may include depressions, inclines, and bumps, among other deviations from the surface. Further, a vehicle may encounter a second driving situation when the vehicle is steered aggressively. A vehicle may encounter a third driving situation when the vehicle is steered around a corner having a large radius (i.e., a long and sweeping driving maneuver). Still other driving situations are possible and vary based on the surfaces, speeds, and environment involved.
Suspension systems are designed to at least partially isolate the body of a vehicle during such driving situations. Traditional suspension systems include the MacPherson strut system, the “double A-arm” suspension system, and the trailing arm suspension system, among others. A trailing arm suspension system includes two swing arms that rotate about a pivot axis. Such systems may further include springs, struts, and a sway bar, among other components. A sway bar may be included to couple the opposing sides of a suspension system to encourage movement of one side upon movement of the other. As one side of the suspension receives an input force, the force may be transmitted to the other side by twisting the sway bar. Sway bars often impact other suspension or chassis components during jounce or rebound, and such impact may limit the potential wheel travel of the suspension system.